Curriculum-Related Developments at Senior Cycle

03 September 2019

The Department of Education and Skills has released a circular detailing the curriculum-related developments at Senior Cycle with particular reference to school years 2019/2020 and 2020/2021, including the discontinuance of Leaving Certificate Agricultural Economics.

The following points were noted on the circular:

Revised Specifications

New Specifications

Senior Cycle Physical Education Framework

Discontinuance of Leaving Certificate Agricultural Economics

Future Developments

Review of Senior Cycle

The following points are a summary of the key points noted in the circular. It is recommended that school authorities read the official circular given at the following link.

Revised Specifications

The following specifications will replace existing specifications, with implementation commencing from September 2019 or September 2020.

Teachers can share resources on Scoilnet by mapping resources to the new specification strands and learning outcomes. Multi-mapping between strands and learning outcomes is possible.

The PDST Agricultural Science team has created a dedicated page within Scoilnet to highlight the classroom-based resources showcased at their CPD events.

A Scoilnet subject editor has uploaded some resources to the new Economics specification here.

New Specifications

From the start of the 2020/21 school year, the following subjects will be available to all schools that wish to offer them as additional optional Leaving Certificate subjects for examination.

New specification

National Rollout - Introduced to 5th year students

First Leaving Certificate examination

Computer Science

September 2020

2022

Leaving Certificate Physical Education

September 2020

2022

Responding to change:

Compsci.ie is a new website created by and for computer science teachers. The development of the site is a result of collaboration between Scoilnet, and PDST Computer Science team.

Teachers can share resources through Scoilnet using their Scoilnet account and tag the resources to the new specification strands and learning outcomes.

Senior Cycle Physical Education Framework

The Senior Cycle Physical Education Framework is designed to support teachers in planning quality learning in Physical Education for all students in senior cycle and will not be assessed as part of the Leaving Certificate examination. The framework will replace the guidelines set out in the Rules and Programmes for Secondary Schools which currently forms the basis for physical education at Senior Cycle. The framework is available here.

Discontinuance of Leaving Certificate Agricultural Economics

The subject Agricultural Economics will be examined for the last time during the Leaving Certificate examination in June 2020.

Future Developments

Revised specifications in Leaving Certificate Applied Mathematics and Leaving Certificate Classical Studies as well as Leaving Certificate Applied Module Descriptors in English and Communications, ICT, and Mathematical Applications are being finalised.

Languages Connect, Ireland’s Strategy for Foreign Languages in Education 2017-2026, contains a commitment to commence development of Leaving Certificate specifications in Mandarin Chinese Polish, Lithuanian and Portuguese, with a view to implementation from September 2020 and first examination in June 2022.

Review of Senior Cycle

The NCCA have commenced a review of senior cycle programmes and vocational pathways, to include Transition Year, Leaving Certificate Applied, Leaving Certificate Vocational Programme and the Leaving Certificate Established. More information on the Senior Cycle Review is available on the NCCA website here.

What you need...

The benefits...

A Scoilnet account will allow you to upload your resources or weblinks to Scoilnet as well as enabling you to share and add resources to a favourites listing. Users who have a Scoilnet Account will also be able to fully access
Scoilnet Maps and
Census@School from home.